Heritage line set for safety audit, wait may be over soon

Created on 19.03.2017 23:39:57

The heritage line is finally inching towards completion. On Friday , Delhi Metro announced that the integration of the signalling system from the existing operational section to the upcoming ITO-Kashmere Gate stretch would be done during the early morning hours on Sunday .

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has also submitted the request for a safety audit of the 1.7km-long new stretch and the certifications. “The papers have been submitted to the commissioner for Metro railway safety (CMRS) for scrutiny ,“ said spokesman Anuj Dayal. Papers have also been sent to ISA (independent safety assessor) for safety certification of the signalling systems.

“After the CMRS office has scrutinised the documents, an inspection will be planned. The line will be opened for public only after safety certification by ISA,“ added Dayal. The certification usually comes a few days after the safety audit. However, no date has yet been fixed for the audit.

The signalling system is being synced through the entire corridor. “A minor change in timings will be necessitated on the ITO-Badarpur corridor on Sunday to fa cilitate the integration,“ said Dayal. Thus, the first train from ITO will leave for Badarpur at 6.10am instead of 5.45am. Similarly , the first train from Central Secretariat to ITO will depart at 6.01am instead of 5.31am. The Metro will ply additional feeder buses between Central Secretariat and ITO stations at an interval of 15 minutes via Janpath and Mandi House during this period. Originally scheduled to be launched in December 2015, the line has been delayed due to various issues, inclu ding a dispute over the location of the station near Jama Masjid where a heritage monument was unearthed by locals just months after work started on the station. The Jama Masjid station had to be relocated.

The corridor will go near some of the most famous heritage structures in Delhi such as Jama Masjid, Red Fort, Delhi Gate as well as Kashmere Gate.